Glow In The Dark Adhesive Planets and Stars
by nerdland
Summary: Sheldon never thought he was capable of love. Until that Thursday.


It was supposed to be a Thursday like any other Thursday. A day to be forgotten. A day on which nothing really important would happen. They would both move on with their lives and everything would still be the same. But for some reason, that Thursday became one of the most special Thursdays of their lives. A day they would never forget. A day that was about to come and they had absolutely no idea what would happen between them.

**April, 21st., Wednesday.**

Penny had just done her laundry when she took the stairs to go back home and put them in the closet, while Sheldon was going downstairs to meet Raj, who lost a bet and had to drive him to the comic book store. She was too distracted by the music she was listening on her iPod, she didn't see the physicist and bumped right into him. Her breasts were pressed lightly against Sheldon's thin body and when she looked up, she could see that his cheeks were red.

- I'm sorry! I'm such a clumsy mess!

- You should really be more careful when you go up the stairs. 47% of back injuries happen when people are walking up the stairs and the percentage rises up to 64 when they're listening to music when doing so.

- Oh, my! I had no idea. - Penny said - I'm probably going to regret this, but... where are you going?

- Penny, Penny, Penny - he slightly leaned his head to his left - trying, once again, to start small talk with someone who doesn't really want to. Ok, I'll play along. We bet that who lost secret agent laser obstacle chess would have to drive me to the comic book store. Leonard has his skills, Howard is a master of this game, since his arms and legs are so skinny he doesn't have to worry about touching the laser. Koothrappali is a shame to his Indian heritage when it comes to laser-related games, so he's the one who's driving me. He's waiting for me downstairs and if you keep talking to me, I'm going to be late and Raj gets really cranky when I'm late. I don't want a disturbed person driving me to the comic book store, that's not safe at all.

Penny had already regretted asking that not-so-thought-through question.

- That's nice... have fun!

- How am I supposed to have fun when you're putting me at risk of suffering a car accident?

- Goodbye, Sheldon! - Penny went up one more floor and finally arrived home.

Sheldon was puzzled for a moment. He wondered why she was so impatient, after all, all he did was answer her question. But that moment didn't last long and before he knew it, he was at Stuart's store choosing between a Batman Special Edition and a Spiderman First Appearance of Dr. Octopus. He took them both.

Penny had finished straightening her closet and she found herself with nothing else to do. She began wondering what she could do without traveling back to Nebraska to see her friends.  
"Hang out with the guys? Maybe. But I don't want Howard to be all over me. He's disgusting. Leonard is ok, but Raj can't stand my company. I know it's not his fault, but still... oh... and there's Sheldon. He must be back from the comic book store by now and he just doesn't like me. I know he doesn't."  
She just stayed there sitting on her living room's couch, bored. She decided to drink some wine, maybe if she was drunk, being lonely wouldn't be so bad. When she was almost done with half bottle, she heard someone knocking at her door.

Knock, knock, knock.  
- Penny!

Knock, knock, knock.  
- Penny!

Knock, knock, knock.  
- Penny!

It could only be Sheldon.

- Hi! How was your trip to the comic book wonderland? - said Penny, happy to see that Sheldon liked her a bit, enough to go knocking on her door.

- It was fine, thank you for asking!

- So... would you like to come in?

- Actually... I was thinking maybe you'd want to join us. Tonight we're playing some Dungeons & Dragons and I know you've never played it before. It could be your first time.

Penny laughed.

- Why are you laughing?

- Well, it's really funny to hear you say that. "It could be your first time". Coming from you... it sounds so... sexual.

Sheldon looked at her like she was speaking another language. And, of course, it wasn't Klingon.

- What?

- It sounds like you're asking me on an RPG orgy. - laughed Penny.

- Are you drunk?

- Of course not! I just need a cold shower... that's all. I meet you guys in a sec!

Sheldon headed back home and Penny showered. As she got out of her bathroom, she felt a little dizzy, but a whole lot better. She wasn't drunk, she was just... up beat!  
She put on her "juicy" pants and went to the guys' apartment. They were setting the table for their RPG session and welcomed her in.

- Hi, Penny! - greeted Leonard.

- Hey, honey... - said Howard, with his left hand on his waist. He had that look on his face that annoyed Penny so much.

- Don't. Even. Think. - mumbled Penny, cutting him off.

- I'm so glad you came! - cheered Sheldon.

- No, you're not. - said Penny.

Sheldon looked at her with his eyes wide open, astonished by the fact that she could read his mind.

The RPG lasted a few hours and nothing really weird happened. Penny was bored, Howard was excited - he'd just destroyed the invincible blue dragon, or that 'big blue puppy', as Penny called it - Raj was cheerful enough to raise his arms and make warrior impressions, but not enough to say anything and Leonard was just being Leonard, trying to make everyone calmer and keep them from fighting. Sheldon was so busy trying to come up with a winning strategy, that he didn't even notice when Penny laid her head on his shoulder to rest. At least that's what everyone thought. He did notice, and he didn't just notice, he liked it.

They ordered some food and ate happily until Leonard got a call from the lab and had to go immediately. There was a leak of a toxic substance and Leonard didn't want the whole town to die from intoxication and radioactive infections. Sheldon said it was completely unnecessary, since his bowel movements weren't completed, but Leonard had already left when Sheldon finished explaining how food is digested.

Raj whispered something in Howard's ear and the tiny man translated the words that came out of his sweet Indian breath:

- I promised to take Raj to that cooking class he was nagging about all week. I think we're gonna be late, but my scooter is really fast, so... yeah... we'll get there on time!

Raj smiled and waved his friends goodbye.

- Bye, Howard! Bye bye Raj.

- See you guys later - said Howard, closing the door behind him.

Penny kept on chewing her food and Sheldon stopped just for a moment and leaned his head on her shoulder. It wasn't a natural movement for him, but he tried his best.

- Wha... what are you doing?

- Nothing. I'm just resting. On you. Just like you did a couple of hours ago.

- Oh, alright. I just didn't expect you to do that. I mean... you don't worry about the germs on my shoulder? Aren't you afraid to touch me and have a skin disease?

- That's true. But if it helps overcoming my social awkwardness and making our friendship a less complicated issue, I'd rather take the risk.

- Sheldon... you dazzle me with your sweetness.

- Sarcasm?

- Who knew? You're really getting the hang of it!

They stayed there, in silence, contemplating themselves on the reflection of the TV screen.  
They really were an odd couple._ Couple? _Nahhh.

**April, 22nd., Thursday.**

Penny came back late from work and couldn't get over the fact she really enjoyed hanging out with Sheldon on the previous day. Maybe she was lonely. She used to have a new boyfriend every week, but she had finally gotten tired of this. All she wanted now was a meaningful relationship, not one based on attraction. Well, of course she had to feel attracted, but not just that. She needed something more. She just didn't know what.

She arrived home and as soon as she entered her room and took off her clothes, she heard three knocks on the door. She quickly put on the first piece of clothing she saw and opened the door to a sleepless and agitated Sheldon.

- Hi, Sheldon. - She examined his face and he clearly hadn't slept enough that night. - Are you okay?

- No, I'm not okay. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't work. I don't know what's happening to me...

- Well, maybe you just...

- ... but I have my theories. - interrupted Sheldon.

- Of course you do.

- I decided to analyze my week and see if I can find something unusual, which could be depriving me of sleeping. Monday was a regular day, nothing out of the ordinary. Thursday was great, which means nothing new happened. Then Wednesday arrived and was a normal... hummm yesterday... what did I do yesterday...?

- We all played RPG at your apartment. Come on, it was yesterday! How could you forget that?

- Hummm... yesterday we played RPG, ordered some food, you... - he shut his mouth with his right hand.

- 'you'...? - Penny was curious about what Sheldon was going to say about her.

- Nothing, forget it, I wasn't going to say "'you'.

- Haha. So what were you gonna say?

- I was going to say... European Poker Championship.

- Sheldon, I think it's cute when you lie. I really do. Now cut the crap and tell me the truth, what about me?

- I can't say.

- Ohhhhh come on, Shelly... - Penny blinked her eyes and stared at Sheldon with an angelic expression.

- Okay! Okay! Too much pressure!

- Yay! Tell me!

- You made me really nervous yesterday. I usually wouldn't even notice that you rested your head on my shoulder, but yesterday... I liked having you so close to me. And when I did the same and felt your warm skin touching my face, it felt really good.

Penny couldn't say a word. She was shocked to see Sheldon saying all those wonderful things. She could expect it from anyone, but Sheldon? That creepy, geeky guy who lives next door and won't even talk so close to her because he's too scared to get tuberculosis. That guy?

- I never thought I'd say this, but I don't think that touching you is a repulsive activity.

- I'm gonna take it as a compliment. – laughed Penny, glad he came back to his normal, annoying and adorable self.

- It is a compliment. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't work this morning, because I was still affected by your... your...

- Don't tell me you are going to say European Poker Championship.

Sheldon was beginning to feel frustrated. He wanted to touch her again, he wanted to feel her in his arms. He knew she wanted that too, but he just didn't have the courage. He had to do something, but he didn't know what to do. In theory, he knew. Only in theory.

- I've never had a girlfriend. – he started.

- Now that's a shocker.

- Sarcasm?

- Right on. – Sheldon lowered his head, making a sad expression. – I'm sorry, honey, go on.

Sheldon decided it didn't make sense to hold everything in. He had to tell her how he felt. If he didn't, then everything would stay the same and he would not be able to sleep.

- Don't pity me, I've never really wanted to have physical contact with anyone. Until… until now. - Penny was speechless once again. She was feeling a mix of anxiety and fear. She feared what would happen if Sheldon finally made a move, what would happen to their friendship. - Yesterday, when you rested on my shoulder, was the most intimate I've ever been with a girl.

- So… you mean… you've never kissed a girl?

Sheldon nodded. Penny was in complete shock. How old was Sheldon? Thirty? Thirty-One? Come on! Poor thing…

And that's when Penny did something she never thought she'd do. She came closer to Sheldon – who, even with his weak social skills, managed to understand what was going to happen – and hugged him. He was stiff, not knowing exactly what to do. He just stayed there, feeling the warmth of Penny's embrace. Still with her arms wrapped around the tall man, Penny looked deeply into his dark blue eyes and brought her lips closer and closer to his. Before he could think of how gross it is to have someone else's saliva inside his mouth, Penny was kissing him passionately and he closed his eyes. He squeezed her body against his and kept on kissing her like there was no tomorrow.

When that everlasting kiss was over and Penny stared at Sheldon, she could see that his eyes were gleaming and he was smiling – and that wasn't a creepy joker smile – like never before. He was truly happy.

- Did you like it? – asked Penny, almost out of breath.

Sheldon simply nodded, kissing her again and again and again. He just couldn't get enough of kissing. She thought it was funny the way he smiled at her after every kiss and how he just wanted to kiss her all the time. It was really late and she invited him to spend the night.

- Penny, I guess you're my girlfriend now.

- Yeah. I guess I am. – she said and then yawned. They just stayed there, lying in bed, Sheldon's arms wrapped around Penny's waist.

- You should stick some glow-in-the-dark adhesive planets and stars on your ceiling. – said Sheldon, before falling asleep on Penny's bed.

It was supposed to be a Thursday like any other Thursday. A day to be forgotten. A day on which nothing really important would happen. They would both move on with their lives and everything would still be the same. But for some reason, that Thursday became one of the most special Thursdays of their lives. A day they would never forget. The day Penny became Sheldon's girlfriend.


End file.
